


MEET #42: OLIVER JACKSON OF THE PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

by dangercupcake



Series: Superstition Fanwork [14]
Category: Original Work, Superstition - Fandom
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canon Queer Character, Chants is a lover not a fighter, Embedded Images, Gen, Hockey, Hockey stick physics, I was born sick but I love it, Interview, Jacks's mom calls him Ollie I don't make the rules, Minor mention of Rick Tocchet avoid if you hate him, News Media, Philadelphia Flyers, superstition by superstition_hockey - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-08
Updated: 2020-02-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:02:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22618324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dangercupcake/pseuds/dangercupcake
Summary: “We met when we were seven,” laughs Jackson. “He told his mom my slapshot was as sick as Joe Sakic’s, so of course we had to be best friends.”
Series: Superstition Fanwork [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1724128
Comments: 14
Kudos: 74





	MEET #42: OLIVER JACKSON OF THE PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Superstition](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6099484) by [Superstition_hockey](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Superstition_hockey/pseuds/Superstition_hockey). 



MEET #42: OLIVER JACKSON OF THE PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

Leading the NHL in assists for the second year in a row!

Oliver Jackson has been on the rise since hockey first started paying attention to him as part of the newest “two headed monster” in the Q: Jackson playing center and Luc Chantal (#38, F, Sharks) on his wing.

“We met when we were seven,” laughs Jackson. “He told his mom my slapshot was as sick as Joe Sakic’s, so of course we had to be best friends.”

Now, of course, Jackson -- “Oli” to some people and “Jacks” to others -- is well known for being the Flyers’ first line center in his sophomore year in the big show, most often seen with former center Claude Giroux on his wing.

There are many things notable about Jackson’s game, from his above and beyond playmaking skills, to how he led the league as a first year rookie in assists the entire season, to his ability to knock down an opponent on the ice with one punch.

When we asked about that Jackson punch, he laughs and sprawls out a little more on the couch. “When we were growing up, Chants refused to take boxing. Just refused. Guy is a lover, not a fighter, you know? So my first month in the show, Ghost [Gostisbehere] and G [Giroux] took me to Rick Tocchet’s house. I thought we were there for dinner, but we ate, like, cheese and apples, and then they took me to the basement and taught me how to fight on skates. Guy has a rink in his basement! G had me watch a lot of tape of old Flyers fighters, too. I’m not really a fighting guy, but knowing how to get out of a fight quick is an important part of the game, eh?”

Not a fighter? Official stats list Jackson at 6’3” and 236 lbs, but he towers over one of our 6’2” interviewers; when we asked, he just shrugged. “I don’t worry a lot about that stuff. I let Flyers PR take care of it.”

Jackson, or, as his mother calls him, “Ollie,” seems like a cool, calm, collected guy, especially for age 19. We related that to Claude Giroux, and he laughed at us, but then said, “Jacks is a room guy. A glue guy. You always want him in your dressing room, and you always want him near you on the ice. He’s gonna make it in this league, he’s gonna go far. Ask him about his stick.”

What does that mean? We gave Jackson a call right after that and asked him to explain.

“When I was a teenager, there was a Kickstarter -- remember Kickstarter? It was for an offset stick,” he explained. “I used the one I got for years. Then Bauer started sponsoring me, and found out about my offset stick, so they bought the company, and now they make these offset sticks. They’re great if you can find one, I’m not sure if they’re in stores? But I love mine. I definitely get better leverage for my slapshot, and--”

And, we realize, the different shape of the stick contributes to Jackson’s signature style of playing hockey while standing almost straight up, instead of bending over like most of his teammates. How come no one else is using this kind of stick?

“Oh, you know, people think it’s weird. I’m sure it took like twenty years for guys to start using the sticks with the curve in them when those first came out too.”

He offers to put us in touch with his guy at Bauer, but before we can even make the call, the very next morning, Bauer delivers us six of their #42 Special: an offset stick with a round toe and a mid-toe curve. “Oliver Jackson says to enjoy!” the Bauer rep chirps.

Well, we don’t have a rink in our basement, but pond hockey season is soon! Thanks, Jacks!

**Author's Note:**

> I recommend following the [Ginger Man of the Day](https://gingermanoftheday.tumblr.com/) Tumblr, it is like AU Jacks every single day! (There is also an insta, unrelated, and I follow that too.)
> 
> The stick physics in here are actually accurate; I spent more time researching that than writing this fic. 
> 
> Sorry to bring Rick Tocchet into this but he has the most penalty minutes of anyone in Flyers' history who would conceivably still be alive and able to show Jacks how to fight.


End file.
